Show How Frankenstein Illus Mary Shelley example essay topic
Mary Shelley was born in 1797 and, when her mother died shortly after her birth, she was brought up by her father and stepmother. As a child the idea of republicanism was implanted into her by her father. Her mother had been an early womens rights campaigner and had written several books on the subject. Her father, on the other hand, was very interested in alchemy and Galvanism. Galvanism was the idea of running electric currents through a body to restore it to life, invented by Luigi Galvani.
The novel came to be written when Mary told the gathering of Romantic poets at Lord By rons house, in Geneva, of a dream she had had. This scared and shocked the poets, who encouraged her to make it into a book. In the novel we see heavy elements of the Romantic poets and the influence they had on Mary when writing the novel. For instance, when Victor Frankenstein is walking through the mountains to meet with the monster after the deaths of William and Justine, the beauty of the mountains and the views is used to contrast his mood of distress and anxiety. The description given and the contrasts are very typical of the Romantic poets and the way in which they write. Another aspect of Mary Shelleys life that shows through in the novel is the idea of Republicanism.
Mary uses a letter written by Elizabeth to Victor Frankenstein to show her view of monarchies and republics: The republican institution of our country have produced simpler and happier manners than those which prevail in the monarchies which surround it. This novel was written shortly after the French revolution when the monarchy was overthrown and France became a republic. At this time, people were beginning to compare the monarchies of countries such as Britain with the monarchy of France and people started to distrust the monarchies and doubt their strength. Another element of Mary Shelleys life and childhood, which shows through the novel, is the idea of parental rejection.
Because of her mothers death, Mary felt that she was rejected by her mother. This is shown chiefly by the situation of Justine. Justine mother had several other children who she loved and cared for, but she did not like Justine at all. Frankenstein family took her in and cared for her and she became a happy girl.